Happy Father's Day

so i forgot to post this..... which is sad. but pregnancy brain is a real disability people. i forget all the things all the time.

Happy Father's day to all those Dad's and Single mom's putting in the time and making it count!  We had a great time celebrating Dan and Dad Liss.  Dan's sister, Jen, made an excellent meal for us including T-rex sized steaks for the men, summer salad and his mom made cheesecake.  We played a little bocci (spelling?) ball and madlibs enjoying each other's company.

 I didnt get a lot of pictures (sadly) but know that we had a lot of fun!

I did want to give a shout out to the 2 most important "Dad's" in my life.  

My husband, Dan, you are God's gift to Judah and I and have taken on the "dad gig" with all your energy, love, compassion and mad climbing skills.  I know it is a "God thing" that you and Judah have so quickly formed such a solid bond as father and son.  He loves you so much and you connect with him in so many ways.  You make me a better parent and I am so thankful for you.  I pray that you continue to grow closer as we near the turbulent teen years and I am confident that Judah is learning from the best as he grows into a man.  You are, after all, Judah's tangible evidence of God's answer to his prayers and he has not been disappointed!   I am so looking forward to watching you fall in love with your little girl this fall.  She is going to fall so hard for you too!  You have made us a complete family and you work hard to lead us, following after God.  I love you all the ways. 

     

 My Dad, you have always been a constant in my life.  Even when it was that we were constantly not getting along in those crazy teen years of mine.. you never gave up on me.  You have always expected the best from us and implored us to lean on God for all our needs.  I have watched you and Mom live a God centered life and seen you persevere-- always putting your trust in His plan for your life no matter where it lead.  I cant imagine all of the sacrifices you have made to raise 5 kids on little to no salary but we never wanted for anything.  I love seeing you passionately sharing God's word both in the pulpit or at Ponderosa.  You have the best laugh, especially when you are feeling mischievous.  You are affectionate and you love us most by how in love you are with mom and putting her first-- that's where it starts!  I love you so much!!    

Genesis 18:19 – “For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”(NIV)

PTL

Praise the LORD!!

We had our 24 week Level 2 ultrasound yesterday where the main focus was making sure the heart had formed correctly.  It is a pretty in depth ultrasound that lasts about 30 minutes or more.  There is a lot of pressure on the belly as they move the wand around quite a bit to be able to see everything in detail.  

The technician kept saying things like, 
"Your baby rocks!", 
"wow, just beautiful." 
"check out that beautiful heart!"
"so pretty"
"yeah you have an awesome baby in there."

These are things we were pretty sure about already, but it was such a reassurance to hear that everything was checking out just fine.  The baby was very active and moving around - she even looked directly at the camera, smiled and waved it seemed...

Thank you so much for each and every prayer!!!  Our God is such a good God and His hand on this little life is such a beautiful thing to behold.  We are getting so excited to meet little Baby Liss.  But also very much wanting her to stay "in the oven" as long as possible -- so continued prayers are appreciated.  With the diabetic concerns as well as having a history of preeclampsia, it is likely that they will want to induce around 38 weeks.  Which makes due date closer to my birthday (9/17).  Not all bad... but i am just remembering the horrific disappointment of being induced twice with Judah because he wasnt ready yet!  I really appreciate the super sensitivity of the doctors, but I also am like, PEOPLE!, God has got this.  Simmer down! :-) 

I am rambling... so without further ado--- meet the 24 week cutie pie

this is her looking at the camera and waving... precious!

A car story

Classy Flo

This is our newest family member, Flo.  She is a classy broad who reminds me a lot of the smooth rides and slow jams (Kenny G) experienced in the good ol' Bowman Caprice.  

I wanted to share a little story about this car because it kind of gives you a glimpse into some of the lessons God has been teaching me.  

Some of you might remember sexy Alejandro, my little Kia Sportage SUV I bought in 2011. Alejandro was a car that I could "afford" but definitely put a dent in the monthly budget. He was sleek, sporty and fun.  I totally deserved him because I am a hard working HR Professional and have climbed the corporate ladder so I could afford nice things. Right??  

¡Alejandro!

Since marrying Dan, who is a financial wizard, we have worked hard to be good stewards of our funds and have paid off a large amount of debt (mostly from me) acquired previous to marriage.  But we still felt like we could do more to further Christ's kingdom if we had less tied up in our own stuff.  We wanted to be able to give more freely to missions, local causes, or just lend someone a helping hand.  When Dan suggested we sell my car last summer, I actually didn't hit him!  I know, I was shocked that my reaction was, "yeah, Ok."  We determined that if we sold it now, we could actually walk away with nothing to owe and then be a 1 car family until we could save for a used car we could buy out right.  This was all God working on my heart because I am not usually one to leave comforts and shiny things behind.  That is why I am usually hard to buy for at Christmas because when I want something, generally I just buy it! (*See the large amount of debt we paid off as a result of these impulses)  It was actually quite easy for me to say good bye to Alejandro (and his hefty monthly payment).  I felt a peace about it and was excited to be able to free us up and take some of the worry/burden off my husband.  When we went to the dealership to find Alejandro a new home, we were amazed at how God worked out those details too.  They offered us more than we initially planned!  

Some benefits of a 1 car family means I get a mini date with my husband to and from work.  We definitely had to increase our communication since coordinating demanding schedules and soccer games is a challenge with 1 vehicle.  It was a pain once in a while, but for the gain, it really was nice living more "simply". 

Enter Flo.  As we prepare for Baby Liss to join us this fall, we started to do some research on used cars in the area.  We still had a few more months to save for what we thought was the amount we could get a decent used car.  One day, a friend from Dan's work texted him some pictures of a car he knew was for sale.  It was being sold by a family at our church whose elderly mother was no longer able to drive.  The car was 12 years old with all the bells and whistles from 2002 (leather seats, climate control, CRUISE control! <-- we have missed this most!). And in addition to the *MINT* condition (seriously, 3 layers of floor mats - Dad would be jealous), the little old lady had not even surpassed 17 thousand miles!! She said she only drove it on Sundays to church and hadn't driven since 2008.  WHAT??  And for a very good price that just so happened to be the amount we had in the bank... PROVISION!  Thank you Jesus!  Dan can even fit in the back seat so this will be a much better fit as we add a baby carrier (AND ALL THE BABY THINGS!) to our lives. 

Flo is far above what we had imagined in that she is a great, great car, in excellent condition, for what we would have paid for a crappy newer base car with 100K miles or worse.  It is like luxury- especially after spending months in Hank (Dan's Ford escort with CRANK WINDOWS!)    

Good ol Hank

Perhaps we will grow a garden....

A few weeks ago we took the plunge and planted a small vegetable garden.  Dan built a 4 x 4 raised garden bed with scrap pallet wood.  We were given some compost dirt and also added some additional topsoil.  

We planted:

• Tomatoes
• Green, Red, Orange bell peppers
• Jalepeños
• Yellow Hot peppers
• Cucumbers
• Romaine 
• Zucchini
• Judah's bean sprout

We are completely clueless and have not done the necessary research.  I tried...I really tried to pin the most helpful websites and blogs on the subject but I am a hands on learner.  Reading how to do something does nothing for me.  I need to see it, touch it and then do it myself.  Dan was a little frustrated with my lack of planning as we operate quite a bit differently (SHOCKING!).  He is logical and pays attention to details... so when starting to actually plant the little seedlings, he is all reading the directions on the plant tags that say you need to plant them in rows of such and such feet/inches apart, etc.  Well you see the number of plants above and can see that a 4 x 4 box is not very big... Needless to say Dan had to surrender to my way of doing things which is - throw them in the ground and hope for the best!  

Judah was SUPER helpful.  He also had the chance to plant his little baby bean sprout he had started growing in class.  It is probably the only plant that will survive...

Garden Accomplished!

Here is out a couple of weeks because we have received very differing information on how often to water the stupid thing.  We will see if anything makes it.  At least it is colorful and cute with the little "cages"!

Be Still My Soul

<In You I Rest>

This song has been on my heart for a couple of months.  It has been my prayer and when sung in church, I can scarcely make a sound.. just mouth the words and weep as I beg the Lord to wash over me and quiet my anxious soul.  

Since finding out in late January that we were expecting it has been with cautious joy waiting to see if we would make it through the first trimester.  

Last year we were in a similar place-- twice.    

No one really talks about miscarriage and so when it happens, you are completely unprepared.  The loss, grief, and sadness is almost more than you can take when just a day before you were giddy and planning nursery themes.  No one tells you that they are quite common and many times without reason.  You blame yourself and go over in your head what you did wrong.  But mostly you grieve because a precious life was lost.  

So I find comfort in this song and in the knowledge that my God holds the world (and my heart) in His hands.  That He is by my side, comforting me and assuring me of His faithfulness.  I am sad for our loss but His Joy is renewed every morning and today I get to see my little one who is growing strong as we near the 20th week at our doctor appointment.  

God has blessed us so much with each other, Judah, little lemon, our families, our home, food and resources to give to others.  He has never given us a reason to doubt His vast love and grace that He covers us with each new day.  

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

In you I rest, in You I found my hope
In you I trust, You never let me goI place my life within your hands aloneBe still, my soul 

Your promise revives me;

    it comforts me in all my troubles.   Psalm 119:50

I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. 21 It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world.22 So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. John 16:20-22

A couple of my favorite Pintrest recipes

I am a little addicted to Pintrest. Ok, maybe alot.  I love it for some many practical reasons but also because it is like a never ending giant magazine of ALL THE THINGS!  

I really use it most for finding good (and easy!) recipes.  In fact I try most weeks to incorporate one or two of the thousands of recipes I pin.  These are a couple of my favorites that came out pretty well and some of the adjustments I made.  I hope you enjoy!

Cilantro Lime Chicken - crock pot!

1.5 - 2 pounds of chicken breast or tenderloins
Juice of 2 limes
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 (16oz) bag of frozen corn (or canned)
2 minced garlic cloves (or like 5-10 if you are Cuban or Crazy awesome)
1/2 red onion, chopped (or any onion on hand)
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp of cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional additions:
2 Chiles in adobo, chopped with a little of the sauce (canned)
1 tsp Smoked paprika

Place all ingredients in slow cooker, give it a stir and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours

Serving suggestions:
-Over rice
-flour or corn tortillas with taco fixings of avocado, sour cream and shredded cheese
-over quinoa
-make into burritos
-over nachos

This recipe always makes a ton so I freeze some, and then use it during the week with the different serving suggestions.  It also can be added to quesadillas or one time i re-heated it in an oven casserole dish with crunched up tortilla chips and cheese on top.  YUM!

The chicken comes out so flavorful! This is one of those dishes that just tastes so good and is great to come home to after a busy day.  

credit from Pintrest: http://octobersmorning.blogspot.com/2012/10/freezer-meal-exchange.html?_sm_au_=iVVPnkkTj5Lj6ZDP 

Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

Click above for the easy recipe link.  This was super easy, and tasted really good.  I like not having to sit over a pan or pot and take a load off my feet when i get home from work.

And for DESSERT!!

Banana GUILT FREE Ice cream

This is probably one of my favorite pinterest discoveries because I am craving Ice cream ALL THE LIVE LONG DAY. But I really cant have it or should have it as much as I want it! This recipe you will have to try in order to believe just how much in texture and taste this tastes like ice cream-- or at least like a yummy Frosty!

Chocolate Peanut buttercup Guilt free  (Dan's fave)

1-2 Frozen bananas (sliced) per number of servings (For the Liss group I cut up 4-5)

2 Tablespoons Cocoa powder 

2 Tablespoons of Peanut butter (optional or any nut butter you have)

A little milk (depending on what kind of blender you have)

Put all ingredients into your blender or food processor. I used my ninja for this recipe and had to add a couple splashes of milk to get it to the consistency I wanted. 

There are so many variations you can do with this recipe.  Just bananas and....

• Chocolate- cocoa powder (you would be surprised how the sweetness of the bananas make's this "Sugar free"!
• Strawberry- frozen/fresh strawberries
• Any type of Fruit - like mangos!
• My favorite is Cocoa and a tiny bit of cayenne cause i am SPICY 
• Use extracts of mint, almond or vanilla 
• Possibilities are endless!!!!!

Play around with this recipe and let me know what concoction of loveliness you come up with!

Follow me on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kjloca

Let's go ride a Bike!

A couple of weeks ago Dan and I attended the wedding of the Great Bobby Jones.  It was beautiful and we had a good time.  We decided to make a "date" out of it since it was an early afternoon wedding.  Dan made reservations at a restaurant we have been wanting to try and we also planned to see a movie.  One of the funny things about our "short" courtship was that we really didn't have too much time to do classic date things like, Movies.  I think we have only gone to 2 movies together at this point.

Anyways...

On our way to the wedding, we were starving for lunch so we stopped at this little hole in the wall.  Weezys?  It was a cute little diner/bar and had really good food.  We were a bit over dressed... 

Trying to take a picture on "Route 66" is
difficult with a foot height difference

  After the wedding we had some time to kill.... so like any old married couple we headed to Target. 

We had a lovely "fancy" dinner at Andria's where we actually were not overdressed.  I had the scallops and Dan had a steak.  It was a cute little house converted into a restaurant and had excellent food.  It was hard to not be distracted by the older people sitting beside us as there was this one obnoxious woman saying things like, "If my baked potato is not steaming when it comes out i will send it back, you hear?" or after her friend opened her birthday gift, "That is a really nice gift, but you know what is the best gift? my Venetian glass earrings my daughter had flown in from Italy."   Gag!

 After dinner we had some more time to kill before the movie, DIvergent was playing.  So we did what any other old married couple would do... we went to Walmart! :-)
We have been looking for a bike for me since last summer and havent found one that met both of our requirements.  Dan's- a bike that shifted and I was tall enough to actually ride. And Mine- super cute and retro!  We actually found THE BEST BIKE at Walmart that night and to my surprise Dan had the bike rack in the trunk for just such an occasion.  

how else do you exit a store with a bike?

Don't I look adorable?

I am really enjoying my "new ride".  It makes me happy when I see it all bright and cheery.  Last Saturday we took it on our biggest adventure yet... a ride across town to the library! Family bike rides are the best. :-)  

it has ALL THE
COLORS!

teal rims and rainbows!

So not the best news

High Risk. 
Diabetes.
Insulin.

These are scary words that were flung at my face in our last appointment.  

I knew I would probably battle gestational diabetes as I did with Judah but this time I am testing high very early in the pregnancy so they want me to start using insulin to manage instead of diet alone.  The doctor also thinks I actually have Type 2 Diabetes (but I think she is wrong.  I had complete blood work done last year and was perfectly healthy on all accounts.) They also want me to start seeing a High Risk doctor which means longer travel and more tests since little old Greenville is not equipped with such resources.  

So after all of that "news"... we did an ultra sound. 

And let me just tell you that "little lemon" is already the cutest thing ever! She was dancing around like when Judah does the "worm" and waving her hand and even sucking her thumb.  She actually looked like a baby and was so much bigger than our first pictures at 9 weeks. Dan and I were filled with joy at her cute little face.  We know that our God is the great physician and are trusting His hand on this pregnancy and our little baby. 

Please join us in praying for a healthy baby with fully developed functioning heart (really all the parts fully developed and functioning too!) as this is one of the scarier risk factors of diabetic mama. 

14.5 weeks

Note: you might wonder, do they know that they are having a girl?? And the answer is no. We wont know until closer to mid May... but I will call her a "She" until someone tells me different as I am soooooooo wanting a beautiful little girl!!!

Judah turns 10 and other achievements

I am one proud mama! Judah is 10 years old and really rocking in 3rd grade.  He has done well in every subject and worked very hard in areas that do not come as easy to him. 

                  

Spelling and Math are his hardest subjects and he has put in the extra time to raise his grades.  I nearly cried when we received his most recent report card (above)-- as you can see his extra effort is paying off.  
He went from a C- to a B+ in Spelling!!!  That was work let me tell you.  I did have a good mom moment with Judah when I figured out that having him make flash cards out of his spelling words was the way for him to really get the words. His homework is always to write them 3 times each which just becomes a blur for him.  After struggling with him one night to pass a practice test, I suggested he make flash cards.  He was skeptical and made the tiniest flashcards known to man... but by the morning he had all those words down and you could see his confidence growing.  When he brought home a B the next week he was pretty proud! 
 I have learned that he may not always be the best at everything and that its OK that he is not on the advanced spelling list.  He works hard and is flying through books which 2 years ago was a tear filled process to get through a reading assignment.  I am learning the balance between pushing him to do his best and not expecting perfection.  Dan has helped a lot in this area.  He is a natural teacher and gets excited about the new things Judah learns and figures out on his own (especially when it comes to Math).  He is extra patient but firm to help keep Judah accountable.  

I see the evidence that two parents is the ideal situation for Judah since we both have different strengths and relate to him in different ways.  I am also relieved to not have the sole responsibility for ALL THE THINGS!  Having a partner to love, nurture, and check homework folders with your child is so awesome.     
                                  

This was his invent a new transportation project-- note the last line. He's not just smart..Funny too!

Even as Judah continues to grow, I still remind him that he will always be my baby.... 

bath time/doing dishes? 

    

Lil Lemon

Dearest Family and Friends, 

We have been prayerful and hopeful to be bringing this EXCELLENT GOOD NEWS.  We will be welcoming Baby Liss into the family somewhere around October 2, 2014. YIPEE!!!  

(I'll pause right there for the initial screams and possibly some tears if you are a Leibbrand.)

This past weekend was really fun as we were finally feeling pretty confident (having reached 11 weeks!) and able to share our joy with our parents and Judah.  We first coordinated a Google video chat with my parents who are in Florida visiting Grandma Leibbrand.  We had limited technology and even more limited "know how" as the average age of this group was approx 60 years old.  Thanks to AUNT JO (the youngest of the group) they were able to figure out how to use the app "Hangouts" on their phone.  It was really fun talking to them using this format as they all tried to crowd around 1 single device.  I didn't take a picture, but it looked something like this.... (sorry I don't have Jeanette animation skills) 

Poor Grandma's neck probably hurt after holding it to the side that long.  It was fun sharing the news but not the same as being able to hug each other (especially my mama!) but I am glad we got to see their faces.  Judah found out at the same time we told the Florida bunch so they could witness his reaction as well.  He was very excited and had a ton of suggestions from the get go such as it should be a Boy and we should name him Luke Skywalker.  We will take that under consideration... but I am hoping and praying for a Girl!! Right now we are calling her, "lil lemon" since that is about her size at the moment. Judah now gives me a hug and also a small hug for "Our Lil' Lemon".  I am so glad he already loves his new sibling and is looking forward to being a big brother.  He is going to make this process all the more special. 

On Saturday, we celebrated Dan's mom for her birthday.  His sister, Jen, made a 4 star meal and I brought dessert.  We put a little message in her card that read, 

"We got you a gift but wont arrive until October..." with a snap shot of the sonogram.

This was at 9 weeks when she was a lil peanut (with a GIANT head)
She has Dan's brains i guess. :-)

It took her a minute, but then she started to tear up and passed the card around so Jen and Dan's dad could join in the celebration.  I was afraid it wouldn't be much of a surprise. Judah had spent the night over there on Friday and I asked him the next morning, "Did you tell them?" (we had sworn him to secrecy) and he said "No." I said, "Did you give them a hint?"  "No, I told them they were in for a big surprise!" Ah..so close.  

We are so excited as we are now approaching the 2nd trimester.  So far, I am pretty nauseous most mornings and the nearest bathroom at work is across the entire call center. That has been a fun mad dash while still trying to look professional, smile, and try to avoid talking to anyone for fear of barfing in their face.  Dan is doing a great job taking care of me and reading up on pregnancy.  It is great to have him as a partner in this and we are really enjoying this journey together.  

More to come!  but i promise this blog wont become a giant pregnancy update...

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;

    let them sing joyful praises forever.

Spread your protection over them,

    that all who love your name may be filled with joy.

12 

For you bless the godly, O Lord;

    you surround them with your shield of love.

Psalm 5:11-12

A ridiculous love story.

random facts:

2 Friends
a small group 
3 months of dating
3 month engagement
13 inches separate us in height

I met Dan in the fall of 2010.  I had just moved to the middle of nowhere with my 6 year old son, Judah.  Just the two of us. That fall I started going to a small group that met in the living room of a couple named, the Maurers.  I didn't know the Maurers or anyone else for that matter, but showed up anyways.  The group was made up of the "uncategorized" young adults. The people that didn't fit into, "young married" or "college students".  I guess they could have just named us the "young, single and awkward" which would have been quite accurate.  This mismatched group of YSAs (young, single and awkward) was a strange bunch that included a recently released felon, formerly gay poet, a college professor, professional Christians, new Christians, unemployed, and overworked. We did find common ground quite quickly though- Jesus. That small group in the Maurer's living room became my family away from home.  We broke down barriers, shared each other's burdens and loved each other - scars and all.  I learned so much through that group and was challenged by each person and their faith, journey and testimony.  

some of my (our) small group peeps

I always thought Dan was cute, but never thought he would be up to the challenge of instant Dad. Not many people would, lets be honest.  We slowly became friends but mostly in groups.  In the following winter, I realized Dan was a pretty awesome guy which you can read about here in a comical post I wrote at the time.  In the fall of 2011, I really started to notice what Dan was all about and was attracted to his honesty and how he always spoke such truth in our small group--saying things others might not be willing to say and boldly trusting the Lord.  I figured it out before Dan did, that he was the one.  So one day I spontaneously stopped by his house to tell him so.  He opened the door and I said, "HI! are you busy?" and he said, "Yep." quite abruptly.  I could see behind him in his living room were a bunch of teenage boys (his mentor group - called dgroup).  Some might at least ask, "is there anything I can do for you, or I'm busy at the moment but can i catch up with you later?" Not Dan.  He just stared at me and I nervously laughed and said, "OK BYE." and ran away as he slammed the door in my face.  I really do believe that was an act of God.  I mean he didn't slam the door in my face, it was one of the hinged screen doors that are prone to slamming, but it certainly felt that way.  But God knew what was up. Had i stood on that doorstep telling Dan that I thought we were meant to be together (in front of his dgroup, no less), it would not have ended well.  Dan was not there yet.  We barely were even friends outside of small group.  So I patiently anxiously in agony waited.

Now lets fast forward to April of 2012 after we had started hanging out more one on one being "accountability partners" and digging deeper into The Word.  We usually hung out on Friday nights after work and cooked dinner together.  One night, after he had left and I had gone to bed, I get a call. Its Dan and he sounds kind of serious and asks if he can come over.  I hop out of bed, throw on a hoodie and my glasses (hair already thrown in a high bun for sleeping purposes) and answer the door.  I am all kinds of nervous afraid that he has bad news, not to mention, there is a cute boy in my house and I look ready-for-bed hideous.  He sits down on the other side of the long couch and tries to make small talk like nothing is up.  He hasn't even looked at me yet and I start to prepare for the worst.  As soon as he gets up the courage, I am expecting him to say something like, "hey, I've noticed you have a thing for me, but i don't feel the same way and i don't want to hurt our friendship, blah blah blah."  I have been a professional friend of boys i like that never like me back for sometime-- I know the drill.  So I say, "Dan, what did you come here to say?" And he says, "I am attracted to you."  and I'm like, "come again?" And then he proceeds to awkwardly tell me how he has developed feelings for me and needs me to know.  At this point I haven't looked up and am just not sure I can believe my ears!  He likes me? is "attracted" to me??  I finally brave it and tell him that I feel the same way and we both look up with a sigh of relief and then all i can remember is giggling like a school girl.  He got up to leave shortly after that (it was late after all and he is a gentleman!) and gave me an awkward handshake/hug.  

That is basically the start of us. We never "just casually dated".  From that moment we were so focused on figuring out if this was for real and if we were the right match for each other.  We asked each other the tough questions early, shared our deepest thoughts and concerns, and really just fell fast in love as we kept learning just how perfect we were for each other.  So 3 months later Dan asked me to marry him and I was so sure when I said yes that 3 months after that when we were saying, I do, I knew this would be the start of my happy ever after.  Thank you God for blessing me and Judah with this man who adores us and is everything we prayed for.... You are a mighty and wonderful God.   

 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11